# First Words: Home and Household Vocabulary for Toddlers

Little Wheels Talk & Listen teaches home vocabulary through delivery vehicles, helping toddlers name objects in their everyday environment.

## Why Home Words Matter for Speech Development

Home vocabulary is foundational because:
- Immediate relevance (children see these objects daily)
- Constant practice opportunities (every room has vocabulary)
- Safety communication ("hot stove," "sharp knife")
- Following directions ("Get your cup from the table")

## Home Words by Phoneme Difficulty

### Tier 1 - Easiest (Early Sounds: /m/, /b/, /p/, /w/)
- **bed** - /b/ sound, sleep routine
- **ball** - /b/ sound, play item
- **book** - /b/ sound, reading time
- **bowl** - /b/ sound, mealtime
- **mop** - /m/ sound, cleaning
- **pillow** - /p/ sound, bedtime

### Tier 2 - Building (Sounds: /d/, /n/, /h/, /t/)
- **door** - /d/ sound, room transition
- **dish** - /d/ sound, kitchen item
- **house** - /h/ sound, home itself
- **table** - /t/ sound, furniture
- **towel** - /t/ sound, bathroom item
- **night light** - /n/ sound, bedtime

### Tier 3 - Expanding (Sounds: /k/, /g/, /f/)
- **cup** - /k/ sound, drinking
- **couch** - /k/ sound, living room
- **key** - /k/ sound, door item
- **fan** - /f/ sound, cooling
- **floor** - /f/ sound, walking surface

### Tier 4 - Advanced (Complex Sounds)
- **stairs** - /st/ blend, home navigation
- **chair** - /tʃ/ sound, seating
- **shelf** - /ʃ/ sound, storage
- **blanket** - /bl/ blend, comfort item

## How Talk & Listen Teaches Home Words

Delivery vehicles bring home items to practice:

1. **Vehicle Card Practice**: Delivery Truck brings household items
2. **Category Gateway**: Home-themed word deliveries
3. **Phoneme Drill**: Practice all /d/ words including door, dish, desk

## Home Vocabulary Features
- 25+ home words organized by phoneme difficulty
- Call-and-response prompts ("Can you say table?")
- Visual household images paired with audio
- Room-by-room organization (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom)
- Delivery-themed celebrations

## Why Vehicles + Home Words Works

Delivery vehicles create natural home vocabulary context:
- Delivery trucks bring things TO homes
- Moving trucks carry furniture
- Mail trucks deliver packages
- Children understand "delivery" concept

## Practical Applications
- Room navigation ("Go to your bed")
- Mealtime vocabulary ("Get your bowl")
- Cleaning routines ("Put it on the shelf")
- Safety awareness ("Don't touch the stove")

## Related Resources
- Learn more: littlewheels.app/learn/parent-guides/first-words-home
- Delivery Truck page: littlewheels.app/vehicles/delivery-truck
- Talk & Listen app: littlewheels.app/apps/talk-listen

## About Little Wheels
Little Wheels Talk & Listen teaches 300+ first words across 10 vocabulary themes. One-time $4.99 purchase, works 100% offline, no ads or subscriptions.